Veteran left-hander Javier Lopez has decided to retire, he tells Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
“More than anything, it’s just time,” the 39-year-old Lopez tells Rosenthal. “It’s a young man’s game. Although I think I can compete, it’s getting harder and harder to get ready for spring.”
A former fourth-round pick back in 1998, Lopez was a key member of four World Series teams: the Red Sox in 2007 and the Giants in 2010, 2012 and 2014. While he struggled with the Rockies early in his career, Lopez eventually solidified himself as a durable, dependable weapon against left-handed opponents and enjoyed a very nice 14-year career in that role.
He’ll finish his career with a 3.48 earned run average, 30 wins, 14 saves, 178 holds and a 358-to-230 K/BB ratio in 533 1/3 regular-season innings. Beyond that, Lopez tossed another 18 postseason innings, recording a 3.50 ERA in addition to his four World Series rings.
Lopez earned more than $28MM in his Major League career, per Baseball-Reference.com. He tells Rosenthal that he’s not certain what’ll come next for him beyond his playing days, but we at MLBTR wish him the very best in whatever lies ahead.
Bye javi!! You’ll be missed in SF!
I know he’s from Puerto Rico, but he was drafted out of the University of Virginia, Wahoowa!
Always will have the weirdest injury of all time
I’m not familiar, what was it?
Yeah, I’m confused too.
Actually, more curious
A key member of our SF Giants’ Core Four.
0.00 ERA in two World Series combined.
0.73 ERA, 2010 through 2014 postseasons combined (total 12.1 IP).
Thank you, Javy. Forever a Giant. A champion. Retiring as the active player with the most WS rings. I hope you consider joining the CSNBA broadcast team. You’d be awesome.
Oh he totally should. Although the announcers are already good.
Good bye javy and thank you for helping the giants win 3 World series championships as a member of the core four. Enjoy your retirement.
Man;; I wonder how the Giants are going to replace those 26 innings.
Lopez only pitched here in Pittsburgh for part of one season (2010) before he was traded to the Giants, a move that worked out pretty well for him. But during that one season, he brought an air of professionalism and swagger to the club. I was always happy to see him find a long-term home in San Fran and win all those rings. Happy retirement.
Agree 100%, I remember Lopez’s brief tenure as a Bucco fondly as well. .
he was a great giant, was kind of hoping he would be able to pitch a couple of innings and retire in DC since it is his hometown.
a class act! i still remember him for his time as a red sox.
A wonderful Giant, a great mentor and funny guy. You will be sorely missed in baseball, so please come back in a new position, soon!! ⚾️
The rings!
Thank you Javy!
Everyone remembers Cody Ross but Javy easily could have been MVP of the 2010 NLCS. Without looking it up (too lazy), I believe Utley/Howard went 1-12 against him in that series.
It was 1-10 (he didn’t pitch Game 2).
IP H R SO BB WHIP ERA
4.2 1 1 4 1 0.43 1.93